


Of Bars and Bruises

by KazmoCanyon



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:20:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23836039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KazmoCanyon/pseuds/KazmoCanyon
Summary: A collection of little moments. Tifa x Jessie -- Tifa x Aerith -- Jessie x Aerith(Prompts are welcome!)
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Jessie (Compilation of FFVII), Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart, Jessie/Tifa Lockhart
Comments: 12
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written in yonks and the Remake got me feeling inspired so here I am. Initially I was going for Tifa/Aerith and saw Jessie as a good build-up to that endgame. I'm really enjoying writing the Tifa/Jessie dynamic and somehow this took on a life of its own so I don't even know how this is going to end anymore. Maybe there doesn't have to be an endgame and I'll be happy to write little one-shots forever. Hoping to get Aerith in the picture at some point. Prompts are welcome to help me get back into the groove of writing!

"Jessie!"

Jessie groans in pain as Tifa rushes to her aid.

"Are you okay?" Tifa asks as she gently holds her up by the shoulder.

"Ugh… shit, that hurts… the floor just attacked me," Jessie winces.

Tifa cracks a worried smile and helps her to a chair. Jessie always somehow ends up getting herself hurt. It's early in the morning; she's walking to the bar and she can't even do that without tripping on her own feet. In her defense, she's barely awake.

"Hmm... there doesn't look to be anything broken." Tifa checks on Jessie carefully from head to toe.

"Nope, just my pride. And, mind you, it's mainly your fault for having such good coffee that I'm stumbling over everything to get to you desperately."

That gets a giggle out of Tifa and Jessie decides that it's still a good morning.

* * *

It has become a regular occurrence for Tifa to yell out her name in panic.

"Jessie!"

Jessie is on the floor. Yet again.

"Sorry, I dropped my plate! I'll clean it up!" Broken shards everywhere.

She looks up to see the shock on Tifa's face.

"I can't tell if that's good or bad." Jessie masks everything with a joke. It's not always appropriate but it always works for her.

"Jessie…" Tifa crouches next to her. There's a hint of seriousness in her voice and it's a little unnerving.

"I'm really sorry, Tifa… I know, I'll take care of it," Jessie says, feeling a bit more sheepish now.

She hurries to pick up the broken shards of glass, anything to avoid eye contact, but Tifa quickly pulls her hands away and starts examining them for scratches and bleeding.

"Jessie, I don't care about the plate."

* * *

The first day they are to meet Tifa, the guys vote for Jessie to ask if they can dig a hole inside her bar.

Jessie is not pleased, to say the least.

"Okay, first of all, there is no way to break that to her gently. Second, Barrett, I would have thought that when you recruited her, you'd have at least told her that we're not just there for drinks."

"We're not?" Biggs quips and Jessie hits him on the arm.

They get to the bar and finally meet Tifa who, as it turns out, doesn't look like your average bartender. Do bartenders usually wear an elbow pad and a vambrace?

"Well, I guess I'll take one for the team and get punched in the face," Jessie says glumly. Wedge gives her an encouraging thumbs up.

"Hi, you must be Jessie," Tifa greets her as she sees her approaching the counter.

"Yup, that's me," Jessie responds with a friendly wave, unsure how to proceed but happy to have the other girl take the lead.

"I'm Tifa. It's nice to meet you." She offers her hand out and they shake hands.

Jessie restlessly taps her fingers on the counter and finally chooses to cut to the chase. "Look, I… sorry, but I've got to get the hard part out of the way," she starts, and Tifa raises her eyebrows at her in surprise. It's not exactly an icebreaker. "We would like to dig an underground headquarters in here, if… if that's okay with you."

Tifa must have noted the slight nervousness in her voice because she gives her a comforting smile. "Okay, but only after I make you some coffee."

It's unexpected; for a second Jessie's mouth hangs open like a codfish. She's not sure if she's relieved or confused. "You took that maybe a little too well."

Chuckling, Tifa begins to make her a drink. "I've had worse proposals."


	2. Chapter 2

“Hey you, dinner’s ready upstairs -”

And that's when Tifa discovers that Jessie is making a bomb right under her bar.

“Don’t freak out,” Jessie says, eyes and hands still focused on her project.

“Jessie, please don’t accidentally blow up our customers.”

“That’s not good for business, definitely.”

Tifa fails to keep a straight face. “Stop making me laugh, this is serious!” This always happens; she can’t ever be stern with Jessie. The girl knows exactly how to loosen her up.

Not knowing what to do with herself, Tifa ends up observing Jessie. Loose hair clinging to her face with beads of sweat all over, her tongue sticking out on the side of her mouth as she concentrates – something in the way Jessie is so absorbed in her work says that you can trust her.

“You’re safe with me,” Jessie says, startling Tifa, as if reading her thoughts. “Come, I’ll ease your mind.”

Tifa feels her face heat up and is grateful the other girl isn’t looking her way. She hesitates for a moment and slowly approaches Jessie, who starts explaining what exactly she’s doing.

It doesn’t take long for Tifa to figure out that this girl is a genius. The renovation of the bar has turned out better than expected; the secret elevator is brilliant, and the pinball machine is a nice touch. Building a bomb? That’s a completely different animal. Tifa is impressed. Scared, but impressed.

“You’re… really good at this.” It’s fascinating watching Jessie’s hands go to work, carefully going over all the wires and pieces of metal.

Jessie looks at her, eyes lingering for a second before returning to the job at hand. Tifa gets the feeling that she doesn’t hear that very often.

“Thanks…” Jessie says quietly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Prompt by[Sacred](https://archiveofourown.org/comments/299374054):**  
> 
> 
> _Jessie shocked when Tifa eats more of her mom’s pizza then wedge and wondering where her martial artist lover puts it all_
> 
> Sorry I didn’t end up following the prompt completely! I don’t know what happened here.

_Knock knock!_

“Tifa, it’s me!” Jessie calls out from outside Tifa’s door. “Got us some food!”

“Come in!”

With one hand, Jessie uses the key she owns to Tifa’s apartment and unlocks the door, opening it and heading straight to Tifa’s desk to put down the pizza boxes.

“Mom sent over some homemade pizza, so I thought we’d have lunch together. Don’t worry, Wedge is manning the diner for now until I get back.” She turns to the side where Tifa’s bed is and doesn’t see her there. “Aaand… you’re not in bed.”

Behind her in a corner of the room is Tifa, grunting and working up a sweat. Her punching bag looks worn out. Frowning, Jessie crosses her arms and shakes her head in disapproval.

“Don’t… give me that look. I can’t… stay in bed… a minute longer. It’s… driving me crazy,” Tifa says in between huffs and jabs.

“ _You_ are driving _me_ crazy,” Jessie sighs, exasperated.

The brawler doesn’t listen to her and keeps beating up the punching bag. Her breathing is labored, knuckles red and stockings torn. Sweat trickles down her forehead, stinging her eyes. Jessie wonders if Tifa is secretly a masochist.

“Look, as sexy and as mildly arousing as this is —” she says, earning a slightly amused smile from Tifa that doesn't go unnoticed, “— I said _mildly!_ – you’re ill and should really be recuperating right now.”

Catching her breath, Tifa stops and turns around to face her friend. Jessie is taken aback; there’s an intensity in Tifa’s eyes that she has never seen before. She doesn’t usually see her fight up close.

“You're making me feel uncomfortable. In the best way possible,” Jessie jokes (half-jokes?), trying to break the tension.

A switch flips and Tifa laughs.

“Pizza?” Jessie picks up a box. “It’s not the healthiest after a workout but… pizza?” Cue million-dollar smile.

Tifa surrenders, “Actually yes. I’m starving.” She sits on the bed and removes her arm sleeves, all sticky from sweat. She grabs a slice of pizza. “Oh my god, thank you so much for this. Tell Mrs. Rasberry she’s amazing, will you?”

“Of course. You know, she loves hearing from you. I’m pretty sure you’re her favourite. I’ve never been great in the kitchen.”

“Stop that.” They share a smile.

The girls eat in silence, the quiet only broken by the occasional sound of Tifa coughing and sniffling. She’s still rather unwell, and Jessie moves to sit next to her and strokes her back.

“Jessie, you’re the best.”

“I know.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. It's been a while, woops. Feel free to hit me with prompts so I don't take 500 years to write the next chapter lol
> 
> Also, I've already said this before but I'm really liking Tifa/Jessie together. Like _really_ liking them. So there's that.

“Firm grip,” Tifa says, checking on Jessie’s hold of the pistol.

She then walks away, thinking to herself, and out of nowhere turns back to deliver a swift roundhouse kick, causing the gun to fly from Jessie’s hands.

“Hey!” Jessie protests.

“Poor reflexes.”

“Was that really necessary?” Jessie goes to pick up the gun from the ground, but Tifa stops her to gently rub her wrists apologetically. That whiplash was no joke.

“You have to be ready for anything. When they disarm you, they’re not going to give you a heads-up.”

“They probably also don’t know advanced martial arts,” Jessie says bitterly.

Tifa sighs, retrieving the gun and handing it over to the other girl. “Jessie, we’ve talked about this.”

“I know, I know… I asked you to train me on self-defense. But that was before I realized I was never going to be ready for the attack of the dolphins.”

“Dolphin Flurry," Tifa corrects her.

“You _named_ it? Wow, babe. Who knew you had it in you?"

"I didn't name--" Tifa breaks off, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to reel her patience back in, although stifling a laugh at the same time. This is going to be a long day. Between teaching Jessie some defensive and counter-attacking techniques _and_ keeping her focused, Tifa's got her work cut out for her. And these are _free_ lessons!

"Look, Tifa, I’m clearly out of my depth here and this is all a big mistake. There's no shame in calling it a day. How about it?” Jessie asks, trying her luck. She puts the gun back in its holster as a sign of surrender.

Jessie is not even pretending to be patient herself, but it's hard to get annoyed with her for it. It's something that Tifa has quickly learned about her over the years; Jessie is a natural charmer and, thus, gets away with a lot of things. It's not enabling her as much as it is being _unable_ to resist her.

"You're not doing as bad as you think you are. You kicked someone's ass the other day, remember?"

"The one who nearly groped mine? Oh yeah, I beat the living shit out of him alright," Jessie says. "Bastard jumped me in the alley. Honestly, I was lucky Biggs was in the area." She visibly cringes at the memory.

It _is_ disgusting, and Tifa feels her anger rising again as she remembers Biggs recounting the incident to her. She's made sure to walk Jessie home ever since.

"Biggs was kind enough to restrain him for me so I could properly kick him where it hurt. You should have seen my leg extension. It was better than the last time you saw it. I almost pulled a muscle, mind you, but you would have been proud."

"I am," Tifa says. She doesn't even notice her own anger quickly ebbing away as she listens and watches Jessie fondly, quite taken by her enthusiasm. "I'm just glad you're safe." Taking Jessie's hand in her own, Tifa looks her straight in the eyes with a sincerity that takes your breath away.

And take Jessie's breath away, it does.

Jessie, for all her vibrance and confidence, often finds herself faltering around the one person who keeps it real with her. She doesn't know why, but she does know it's not a bad thing.

"Geez, Tifa, you're a lot to take in," Jessie chuckles.

"Oh sorry! I hope I didn't--" Tifa withdraws her hand only to have Jessie hold on to it tighter.

"Nonono, it's nothing! I just fell in love with you a little, that's all." Jessie flashes a cheeky grin, faking the fact that it's taking everything in her to look Tifa in the eyes without wavering. "Sorry for always worrying you, by the way. I'm the worst person to look after."

"Just about," Tifa giggles. She rubs circles on the back of Jessie's hand with her thumb. "It probaby doesn't help that I worry about you too much. This is all new to me. I never had girlfriends growing up."

The words unspoken hang in the air.

_I care about you more than even I think I know._

She's honest and candid in a way that Jessie isn't. Gentler. It's a good match.

Jessie doesn't know what to say. Normally she has a joke or a witty remark in response to everything outside her comfort zone, but not this time. Pure unadulterated affection is not exactly her forté. And yet, she welcomes it. Perhaps Tifa is just the exception.

Is Tifa the exception?

"Teach me how to worry you less," Jessie says, grabbing her gun again, readying herself for more training.

* * *

"Fuck me, I hate this drill. Can we switch to something else?"

"Jessie, that's not how this works. They're not just going to hit you the way you want them to."

"Sure, but I'd like to see _you_ hit me the way I want you to."

"Focus!"

"Sorry! Focusing! But seriously babe, I'm telling you now, I'm going to end up with a concussion and it won't even be your fault."

"Fine. Don't worry, I’ll just stick to wrestling the gun from you.”

“Yeah alright, stick to that one. That’s a lot less life-threatening.”

“Okay.”

“No somersaults.”

"Jessie, why would I even--"

"Ah-ah-ah!"

“This is ridiculous. _Obviously_ no somersaults.”

“No uppercuts.”

“No uppercuts.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

"I'm ready."

“So listen, I’m going to come from this side. Pay close attention. Again, like I’ve taught you, as soon as you see me go in for the grapple, block it like this. Knee me in the stomach if you must.”

"Easy peasy."

“Ready? On three. One… two… three!”

_Oof!_

“Jessie!”

Definitely _still_ yelling her name in panic.


End file.
